My toddler is nearly 2.5. He was a bit delayed physically due to a long spell in hospital as a baby and consequently he can’t yet do a lot of things other kids his age can do - running, jumping, climbing - and he lacks co-ordination and confidence on playground equipment.
After a bad experience at nursery, he is also afraid of people and cries hysterically if I walk away even for a few moments to get something from the pushchair or put something in the bin.
His little sister is nearly a year old and also going through a big separation anxiety phase so I’m finding it utterly exhausting and draining. Whenever I take them for a playdate with other kids, they will not stray from my side. They are constantly underfoot. It’s getting to the point where it’s a bit embarrassing. Nobody else I know has children who do this. I can see that other parents think there’s something about me and my parenting that has made them this way. But what? I don’t think I do anything differently to anybody else.
I should add that when I’m close by, the toddler is very happy and confident and chatty with everyone. But I have to be VERY close by.
I don’t really know what the point of this post is. I just feel so drained from little people tugging at me or climbing on me or clinging to me all the time. I guess it’s normal for babies of a certain age but like I said none of my friends’ children do this, certainly not at 2.5.
Can anybody reassure me that it will be OK?